Gate-operating means.



J. F. JENNINGS.

GATE OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION man JUNE 2.1915.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

JOHN F. JENNINGS, 0F SM TTHFIELD, ILLINOIS.

GATE-OPERATING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 16 16.

Application filed June 2, 1915. Serial No. 31,737.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. JENNINGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Smithfield, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Operating Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gates, more particularly to the class of gates designed to be automatically opened or closed by the person approaching the gate in a vehicle or on horse back without alighting, and has for one of its objectsto increase the efliciency and utility of a device of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed gate which is locked in either open or closed position without the necessity of employing latches or like fastening devices. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention the figure is a perspective view of the improved device with the gate in closed position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved device includes a hinge post 10 and a latch post 1.1 located at opposite sides of the gate-way opening. The longitudinal strand members, indicated at 12, are connected to the posts 10-11 in the usual manner. The gate portion of the improved device comprises a plurality of vertical members 13 and longitudinal rail members 14:, the vertical members and longitudinal members being pivotally united at 15. The member 13 which is located nearest to the post 10 is hingedly united at 16 thereto, while the free ends of the rail members 14 extend in advance of the vertical member 13 which is located next to the latch post uppermost pivot 15 at the hinge end of the gate and extend upon opposite sides of the gate and are pivoted to one of the intermed ate pivots 15 of a pair of the intermediate members 13 and 14, as shown. The rods are thus disposed obliquely to the longi tudinal plane of the gate.

A yoke device 19 bears over the upper rail 14 of the gate and is provided with terminal eyes slidably engaging the rods. The yoke 19 is also slidably engaging the upper rail member 1 1 and by moving the yoke longitudinally of the gate strain is applied to the rods to cause the free end of the gate to be adjusted vertically.

The rods will be suiiiciently yieldable to enable them to be deflected when the yoke is adjusted.

Extending from the gate structure, preferably from one of the longitudinal rail members 14, is a bracket device comprising a main body member 24 and a horizontal brace member 25 and a supporting or diagonal brace rod 26. At its free end the member 24 of the bracket is provided with a relatively large upstanding loop 27. The hinge post 10 is of greater height than the latch post 11 and pivoted at 28 to the upwardly extended portion of the post is an operating lever 29. Located at some distance from the latch post 10 is another post 30 while a guide post or member 81 is located intermediate the posts 10 and 30. The post 31 is reduced at the upper portion, as shown 211532, and with stop shoulders 33 at the juncture of the reduced portion with the body portion 31 as shown. Pivoted at 34. to the post 80. preferably within a recess 35, is an arm 36 which extends past the guide member 31-32 and bears, when in its lower position, upon one of the shoul ders 33. A bar 37 extends in parallel relationto the member 36 and rests upon the other shoulder 33 of the member 31. A spacer-block 38 is located between the arm 36 and the bar 37 at their outer ends and thus maintains the bar 37 in spaced relation to the ar1n36. A weight 39 is located between the inner end of the bar 37 and the arm 36 and performs the two-fold function of a spacer between the arms 36-37 and a counterweight to return the arm 36 to its normal or horizontal position after each operation. as hereafter explained.

Depending from the member 36 or from the spacer block 38 is a relatively large loop 40 and coupled loosely between the loops 27 and 40 is a link 41. Pivoted at 4:2 to the post 30 is an operating lever 43, similar to the operating lever 29. Depending from the lever 29 is a loop 44 and depending from the lever 43' is a loop 45. -Pivoted at l6 to the bar 36 are links 47l8, the latter being coupled by suitable eyes respectively to the loops 4H5. The lever members 29 l3 are relatively long and terminate a sufficient distance from the gate to enable them to be reached and actuated by a person in a vehicle or on horse back without alighting.

lVith the device constructed as above described, it will be obvious that, when a person approaches the gate from either side and exerts a pulling force upon the free end of the levers 29 or 43, as the case may be, the arm 36 and its spaced bar 37 and weight 39 will be elevated and cause the connecting link 41 to exert a lateral pulling force upon the bracket device attachedto the gate and swing the latter into open position upon its hinges 16. The arrangement'of parts enables the member 36 and its attachments to be elevated to its highest point when the gate is moved into a half open position or with the loop 27 of the bracket device immediately beneath the free end of the member 36 and when this movement has been,

accomplished, the lever 29 or 4:3, as the case may be, is released, when the momentum of the gate will cause it to swing into open position, while at the same time the weight 29 restores the arm 37 and its attachments to their normal or lower position with the gatein open position and bearing against the post 30. It will be noted that by this arrangement of the parts, the gate is locked both in closed and open position and can be released only by elevating the arm 36 and its attachments. As the person passes through the open gate and reaches the opposite end of the lever 29 or 43, as the case may be, a downwardly pull upon the latter will re verse the action and close the gate.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be constructed of suitable material of any required size and applied wherever a gate of this character is required.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, a

stationary member having a vertical guide portion and a stop shoulder, a lever pivoted. at one end and movable vertically in engage-' ment with one side of said guide portion and limited in its downward movement by said stop shoulder, a guard member carried by said lever and spaced from the same and engaging the other side of said guide member, a combined spacer and weight between said lever and guard, bracket adapted to be connected to a swinging gate, a link connecting said lever and bracket, and means for elevating said lever against the resistance of said weight.

' 2. In a device of the class described, posts spaced apart, a gate swinging from one of said posts and having a laterally directed bracket, a member having a vertical guide portion and a stop shoulder, a lever pivoted to one of said posts and movable vertically in engagement with. one side of said guide portion and limited-in its downward movement by said stop shoulder, a guard member carried by said lever and spaced from the same and engaging the other side of said guide member, a combined spacer and weight between said lever and guard, a link connecting said lever and bracket, operating arms pivoted respectively to said posts, and links connecting said operating arms and lever.

3. In a device of the class described, a vertical guide, a lever pivoted at one end and movable vertically in engagement with one side of said guide, a guard carried by said lever and engaging the other side of said guide, a combined spacer and weight between said lever and guard, a bracket adapted to be connected to a swinging gate, a link connecting said lever and bracket, and means for elevating said lever against the resistance of said weight.

4:. In a device of the class described, posts spaced apart, a gate swinging from one of said posts and having a laterally directed bracket, a vertical guide, a lever pivoted to one of said posts and movable vertically in engagement with one side of said guide, a guard carried by said lever and spaced from the same and engaging the other side of said guide, a combined spacer and weight between said lever and guard, a link connecting said lever and bracket, operating arms pivoted respectively to said posts, and links connecting said operating arm and lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN F. JENNINGS. [1,. s.]

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

